UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 VATICA 00083 080918Z
1. (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE. CARDINAL SODANO,
VATICAN PM EQUIVALENT, ON 01/08/02 PASSED CHARGE A LETTER
VERBALE ADDRESSED TO THE AMBASSADOR (FAXED TO EUR/WE) IN
WHICH HE REQUESTED THE INTERVENTION OF THIS EMBASSY TO
EXPEDITE THE UNBLOCKING BY OFAC OF VATICAN OFFICIAL FUNDS.
THESE FUNDS WERE DESTINED TO SUPPORT THE HOLY SEE'S EMBASSY
(NUNCIATURE) IN HAVANA. SODANO ALSO ASKED POST TO PASS TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY A NOTE VERBALE REQUESTING THE
UNBLOCKING OF THE FUNDS. ACTION REQUESTED: PLEASE PASS THIS
INFORMATION TO OFAC ASAP; PLEASE PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR
RESPONDING BEFORE THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, WHEN AMBASSADOR WILL
SEE SODANO AT AN OFFICIAL FUNCTION.
2. (SBU) THE INFORMATION POST HAS ON THIS ISSUE ALL COMES
FROM A PACKET OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF
NEW YORK AND OFAC (ALL FAXED TO EUR/WE). THE BASIC FACTS
ALLEGED ARE THAT THE ARCHDIOCESE ATTEMPTED ON JULY 5, 2001
TO TRANSFER A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS OF A VATICAN
INVESTMENT TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE HAVANA NUNCIATURE AT THE
ISTITUTO PER LE OPERE RELIGIOSE (IOR -- THE VATICAN'S
OFFICIAL BANK). AT THAT POINT OFAC BLOCKED THE TRANSFER.
THE NUNCIATURE APPLIED FOR A LICENSE BY JULY 7, 2001. BY
SEPTEMBER 25, 2001 OFAC AND THE ARCHDIOCESE HAD EXCHANGED
CORRESPONDENCE DETAILING PARTICULARS OF THE PROPOSED IOR
TRANSACTION. BY JANUARY 5,2002, WITH NO APPARENT ACTION ON
THE PART OF OFAC, CARDINAL SODANO SENT THE NOTE AND LETTER
REFERRED TO ABOVE.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: THIS TRANSACTION HAS RISEN TO THE LEVEL
OF A FOREIGN POLICY ISSUE WITH THE LETTER FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER TO THE AMBASSADOR. WE NOTE THAT ON SEVERAL LEVELS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 VATICA 00083 080918Z
THIS ISSUE IS A NEURALGIC ONE FOR THE HOLY SEE -- FIRST
BECAUSE THE MONEY IS PART OF THE VATICAN'S OFFICIAL, INDEED
DIPLOMATIC ACCOUNTS. SECOND, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN BLOCKED AS
PART OF A SANCTIONS REGIME THAT THE HOLY SEE HAS RESOLUTELY
OPPOSED SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THIRD, BECAUSE THE IOR HAS IN
THE LAST YEAR BEEN SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
IN U.S. COURTS IN A MANNER WHICH SODANO PERSONALLY HAS
ASSERTED VIOLATE THE HOLY SEE'S INTERNATIONAL SOVEREIGN
RIGHTS. SODANO WILL ENCOUNTER THE AMBASSADOR AT THE ANNUAL
DIPLOMATIC CORPS DINNER THIS COMING THURSDAY; THIS ISSUE IS
EXACTLY THE SORT OF ISSUE HE HAS SEIZED UPON IN THE PAST TO
PILLORY THE USG FOR ITS ALLEGED LACK OF RESPECT FOR VATICAN
SOVEREIGNTY. END COMMENT.
MERANTE
UNCLASSIFIED
>
2002VATICA00083 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Raw content

UNCLAS VATICAN 000083
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), EB/ESC (WILLIAMSON); DEPT PLEASE
PASS OFAC
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 004/02
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, ETTC, EFIN, VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN PM WANTS HIS MONEY
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 VATICA 00083 080918Z
1. (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE. CARDINAL SODANO,
VATICAN PM EQUIVALENT, ON 01/08/02 PASSED CHARGE A LETTER
VERBALE ADDRESSED TO THE AMBASSADOR (FAXED TO EUR/WE) IN
WHICH HE REQUESTED THE INTERVENTION OF THIS EMBASSY TO
EXPEDITE THE UNBLOCKING BY OFAC OF VATICAN OFFICIAL FUNDS.
THESE FUNDS WERE DESTINED TO SUPPORT THE HOLY SEE'S EMBASSY
(NUNCIATURE) IN HAVANA. SODANO ALSO ASKED POST TO PASS TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY A NOTE VERBALE REQUESTING THE
UNBLOCKING OF THE FUNDS. ACTION REQUESTED: PLEASE PASS THIS
INFORMATION TO OFAC ASAP; PLEASE PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR
RESPONDING BEFORE THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, WHEN AMBASSADOR WILL
SEE SODANO AT AN OFFICIAL FUNCTION.
2. (SBU) THE INFORMATION POST HAS ON THIS ISSUE ALL COMES
FROM A PACKET OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF
NEW YORK AND OFAC (ALL FAXED TO EUR/WE). THE BASIC FACTS
ALLEGED ARE THAT THE ARCHDIOCESE ATTEMPTED ON JULY 5, 2001
TO TRANSFER A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS OF A VATICAN
INVESTMENT TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE HAVANA NUNCIATURE AT THE
ISTITUTO PER LE OPERE RELIGIOSE (IOR -- THE VATICAN'S
OFFICIAL BANK). AT THAT POINT OFAC BLOCKED THE TRANSFER.
THE NUNCIATURE APPLIED FOR A LICENSE BY JULY 7, 2001. BY
SEPTEMBER 25, 2001 OFAC AND THE ARCHDIOCESE HAD EXCHANGED
CORRESPONDENCE DETAILING PARTICULARS OF THE PROPOSED IOR
TRANSACTION. BY JANUARY 5,2002, WITH NO APPARENT ACTION ON
THE PART OF OFAC, CARDINAL SODANO SENT THE NOTE AND LETTER
REFERRED TO ABOVE.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: THIS TRANSACTION HAS RISEN TO THE LEVEL
OF A FOREIGN POLICY ISSUE WITH THE LETTER FROM THE PRIME
MINISTER TO THE AMBASSADOR. WE NOTE THAT ON SEVERAL LEVELS
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 VATICA 00083 080918Z
THIS ISSUE IS A NEURALGIC ONE FOR THE HOLY SEE -- FIRST
BECAUSE THE MONEY IS PART OF THE VATICAN'S OFFICIAL, INDEED
DIPLOMATIC ACCOUNTS. SECOND, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN BLOCKED AS
PART OF A SANCTIONS REGIME THAT THE HOLY SEE HAS RESOLUTELY
OPPOSED SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THIRD, BECAUSE THE IOR HAS IN
THE LAST YEAR BEEN SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
IN U.S. COURTS IN A MANNER WHICH SODANO PERSONALLY HAS
ASSERTED VIOLATE THE HOLY SEE'S INTERNATIONAL SOVEREIGN
RIGHTS. SODANO WILL ENCOUNTER THE AMBASSADOR AT THE ANNUAL
DIPLOMATIC CORPS DINNER THIS COMING THURSDAY; THIS ISSUE IS
EXACTLY THE SORT OF ISSUE HE HAS SEIZED UPON IN THE PAST TO
PILLORY THE USG FOR ITS ALLEGED LACK OF RESPECT FOR VATICAN
SOVEREIGNTY. END COMMENT.
MERANTE
UNCLASSIFIED
>
2002VATICA00083 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

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